(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-825A-1A, IL

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Lott & Warner in Sycamore, Illinois, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. With 4 known varieties, Lott & Warner produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 825A-1A) is common for this merchant. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 4 cataloged varieties, Lott & Warner was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 825A-1A